The Smorgasburg Frozen Banana-Off

Nana's frozen banana with toffee and sea salt. Salty, sweet, and just a wee bit phallic.

Williamsburg’s new Saturday Smorgasborg has dozens of stands offering everything from Asian street food and fried chicken biscuits to artisan mayonnaise. But we were most surprised to find not one, but two, frozen banana stands. Previously, we thought these only existed on “Arrested Development,” but now the foodie flea has two frozen banana purveyors to choose from, Rob and Anna’s (say it out loud) and Nana’s. So which one is worth trying?

Nana’s

Rob & Anna’s

Point

Technique

Whole frozen bananas on a stick, dipped in chocolate sauce and sprinkled with toppings.

Frozen bananas pureed and run through a soft serve-like machine so they come out looking like ice cream.

$5 for a six-ounce cup with one topping (add $1 for Nilla wafer dust, walnuts or wildflower honey). $7 for a cup with a chocolate
brownie or Electric Blue vegan brownie.

Neither seems particularly affordable for frozen
bananas (more than ice cream?) but Nana’s is just a little bit cheaper.

Taste Test

A satisfying snack, especially when coated in sea salt, which makes for a nice mix of salty, sweet and chocolatey.

The toppings are delicious, but the texture of the banana concoction makes us think of frozen baby food. If you really love bananas, you’ll go for this; otherwise it’s
hard to see it replacing ice cream.

Nana’s wins on both taste and texture.

Visual Appeal

Super cool. These things are selling like hot cakes as people parade them around Smorg like a fashion statement.

Again, a little flat.

Nana’s. Banana on a stick is the hot new accessory in Williamsburg this summer.

Rob and Anna's frozen bananas, pureed like soft-serve

The Verdict: While we applaud Rob & Anna’s for trying something unique, Nana’s, made by Cecile Dyer of Pies ’n’ Thighs, is the Brooklyn banana champ.